International

  • First Phase of 100-GW China Hydro/Solar Project Enters Service

    Chinese officials on June 25 said the first phase of what is considered the world’s largest combined hydro and solar power plant has entered commercial operation. The Kela hydro/solar plant, part of an ambitious project anchored by the Lianghekou Hydropower Station on the Yalong River, is located in Yaijiang County in southwest China’s Sichuan Province. […]

  • Driving Decarbonization: Lessons Learned from Europe That Can Help Unlock the U.S. Clean Hydrogen Economy

    Environmental experts consider decarbonization to be among the most important keys to minimizing the effects of climate change. While the transition to a low-carbon economy may present challenges, it also offers opportunities for innovation, the creation of new jobs, and sustainable economic growth. Accordingly, the U.S., like Europe and other parts of the world, has […]

  • New Technologies Driving Electric Grid Modernization

    Over the past couple of decades, the expected growth in electricity usage unexpectedly flatlined, leaving utilities with stagnant revenue, but aging infrastructure in need of capital investment. Then came the technology revolution of the last five years, with electric vehicles (EVs) becoming more popular as governments worldwide mandate lower emissions, and microgeneration of electricity via […]

  • Swedish Offshore Wind Farm Could Use 30-MW Turbines

    A Sweden-based company that develops deepwater wind power projects has joined with a global renewable energy group in a partnership to develop an offshore wind farm that could feature turbines as large as 30 MW. Freja Offshore, a joint venture (JV) between Sweden’s Hexicon and Mainstream Renewable Power, part of Norway’s Akers Horizon group, on […]

  • China, Saudi Arabia Team on Wind Projects in Uzbekistan

    China’s Envision Energy said it will supply 1 GW of generation capacity for wind projects designed by Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power in Uzbekistan. Envision, headquartered in Shanghai and China’s second-largest wind turbine manufacturer, made the June 20 announcement on the heels of several other large wind turbine deals in recent months, in Egypt, India, and […]

  • Supercharging Decarbonization: How Engineered Solutions Can Accelerate the Transition

    As pressure mounts, energy leaders must build a more-resilient, lower-carbon energy system. Technical, digital, and engineered solutions will play a critical role in this transition, but which options are most viable? Driving the Transition Through Diversification: The Role of Hydrogen According to SHOCKED, one of the largest global studies conducted among the energy sector C-suite, […]

  • Pakistan Expanding Nuclear Plant With New Hualong One Reactor

    China continues to be a world leader in exporting its nuclear power technology. Chinese officials in Pakistan on June 20 signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a $4.8 billion deal with Pakistan’s nuclear energy agency for construction of a new 1,200-MW reactor at the Chashma power complex. The new unit will be China’s Hualong […]

  • Honeywell Introduces Honeywell Ionic™, a Modular Battery Energy Storage System with Improved Energy Density and Reduced Installation Costs

    Scalable system provides efficient, flexible, and intelligent solution for commercial and industrial users ORLANDO, FL, June 19, 2023 – Honeywell today announced Honeywell IonicTM, a compact, end-to-end modular battery energy storage system (BESS) and energy management tool that offers improved energy density compared to what’s currently available on the market, while delivering a significant reduction […]

  • German Group Plans ‘Green Baseload’ Installation at Major Coal Generation Complex

    A leading German energy group has announced plans to create a clean energy hub at what today is an area of coal mines and coal-fired power stations in the eastern part of the country. The strategy from LEAG (Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG) envisions what the company calls a “pure green baseload” complex. LEAG on June […]

  • Recyclable Blades Featured at New RWE Offshore Wind Farm Near Denmark

    Recycling of components used in the renewable energy sector is a growing industry. Several companies have entered the market to make wind and solar power more sustainable, including some of the largest players in renewables. RWE, the Germany-based global energy provider, on June 14 announced that 40 of the wind turbines at its Thor offshore […]

  • Four Ways to Protect the Energy Sector from Cybersecurity Threats

    It’s been two years since the historic Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack shut down one of the largest and most vital oil pipelines in the U.S. While this hasn’t been the nation’s only attack on power infrastructure, it’s the largest publicly disclosed and, at $4.4 million, it was also the most-costly. Since then, we’ve learned that […]

  • UK Restarts Coal-Fired Units as Temperatures, Power Demand Rise

    Temperatures in the UK recently soared into the high 80s, increasing demand for cooling across Britain and prompting energy company National Grid to call for a restart of a coal-fired power station. Uniper, the German-based energy group, on June 12 said National Grid called for Uniper’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire to begin supplying […]

  • Iberdrola Finalizes $6 Billion Deal to Sell Mexico Gas-Fired Plants

    Spanish energy giant Iberdrola announced it has finalized an agreement to sell much of its power generation portfolio in Mexico to that country’s government. The $6 billion deal, first announced in April and completed June 12, will see Mexico take state control and operation of several power plants, including a dozen natural gas-fired facilities that […]

  • Devastating Ukraine Dam Breach Raises Concerns for Nearby Nuclear Plant

    A breach at the Nova Kakhovka Dam stemming from the destruction of the 351-MW hydroelectric power plant in southern Ukraine on June 6 has triggered massive flooding, prompted an environmental crisis, and raised new perils for a nearby nuclear plant on the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war. Completed in 1956, the Kakhovka hydropower power plant […]

  • The POWER Interview: European Group Building Next Generation of Nuclear Reactors

    Advancements in nuclear power technology have brought several new companies into the sector, many of them working on innovative reactor designs and fuels to move the industry forward. One of those groups is newcleo, a company based in the UK with additional operations in Italy and France. The company began operating in 2021, and in […]

  • Dutch Officials Set Funding for Nuclear Power Program

    Government officials in the Netherlands have earmarked more than $350 million to fund further development of nuclear energy in the country, including extending the operating license of the 485-MW Borssele

  • POWER Digest [June 2023]

    KEPCO Wants to Extend Operations of Two Reactors. Japanese utility Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) in April asked Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) for permission to extend the lifespan of Units 3

  • Five Reasons Why Power Plant Owners Should Consider Repurposing Their Assets

    Aging power plants are not necessarily liabilities. Owners must consider all of their options for both sites and equipment before they inadvertently discard valuable assets. The shift toward renewable energies

  • Hydrogen: new “Electrolyzer” module in ProSimPlus simulation software to optimize the design, maximize the efficiency, and reduce the energy consumption of hydrogen production units

    Labège, 30 may 2023 – ProSim, a provider of software and services for simulation and optimization of industrial processes, has announced the addition of an electrolyzer module in the new version of its ProSimPlus software. By combining this module with other equipment from the ProSimPlus library, users can simulate the entire process of hydrogen production […]

  • Clean Energy Spending Grows, but Big Investments Continue in Coal and Other Fossil Fuels

    The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects investment in clean energy technologies, including “renewable power, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emission fuels, efficiency improvements and end-use renewables and electrification,” to exceed $1.7 trillion in 2023, the most ever. Yet, even as clean energy investments grow, more than $1 trillion is expected to be invested in unabated fossil fuel […]

  • Global Commitments Bolster Romanian NuScale Nuclear Project

    A project to deploy the first NuScale 462-MWe VOYGR-6 nuclear power plant in Romania by 2029 has garnered a $275 million public-private funding commitment from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a global infrastructure partnership. The Romanian project may be bolstered by an additional $4 billion outlined […]

  • TVA Head Wants Nothing to Do with Building One Reactor Unless He Can Build 20

    Building a nuclear power plant is a difficult job. It takes years of planning and sometimes more than a decade to complete. The risk of schedule delays is great, especially on first-of-a-kind projects, and the financial implications of such setbacks can ruin a company. Yet, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA’s) president and CEO, Jeff Lyash, […]

  • Siting a Nuclear Power Facility Is Both Art and Science

    With governments and industry engaging more frequently and decisively on how nuclear energy can help meet their climate, electrification, and economic goals, attention is now turning to how we get the needed capacity built. While extending the operating lives of existing nuclear plants, some countries will need to build new nuclear capacity to meet their […]

  • NEI Head: ‘This Is the Biggest Moment for Nuclear Energy Since the Dawn of the Atomic Age’

    “Everywhere we look, we’re seeing demand surging,” Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), said. “When we talk about demand for nuclear, we’re talking about the future of our planet, the future that our children will inherit.” Korsnick spoke those lines on May 15 as part of her “State of the […]

  • New Technology Offers Options for Floating Offshore Wind and Power-to-X Projects

    New technology is regularly being developed and enhanced to improve power delivery and incorporate more renewable energy into systems. ABB Energy Industries is among the companies investing in solutions to make future power systems better. Among its current focus areas are deploying subsea power distribution and conversion concepts to support the floating offshore wind industry, […]

  • Israel Adding Energy Storage to Support Grid Integration for Renewables

    Israel’s governmental energy agency said the country plans to build four major battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in the northern Gilboa mountain region. The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure on May 2 said the projects are the first step in a “program of great importance for the energy sector.” The program is designed to […]

  • Our Carbon-Neutral Future Demands Disparate Renewable Energy Technologies

    Our global marketplace is certainly a competitive one but there is no reason why renewable energy technologies, whether they emanate from energy metals including lithium, uranium, zinc, cobalt, etc., or from the sun and wind or hydropower, should be competing for market dominance. Why shouldn’t renewable energy technologies compete for market dominance in the manner […]

  • Fusion Energy Reaches Prime Time

    Over the last three years, electricity generation from fusion has moved from the realm of science fiction to the brink of serious development. A lot has happened, but challenges remain before fusion arrives on

  • Europe Ramps Renewables, Looks for New Gas to Reduce Reliance on Russia

    European countries have moved quickly to adopt new energy sources after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Governments have reduced imports of Russian-produced energy, with demand for natural gas

  • Canada Starts Up First Geothermal ‘Co-Production’ Power Project at Active Legacy Oil Field

    A pioneering 21-MW power project that economically produces geothermal power with co-produced hydrocarbon fluids from an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operation is now commercially operating in Alberta, Canada